The boom in ecotourism: Argentina has added 15 protected areas in 10 years and more and more visitors – 11/04/2019

"You have to go to the Iguazu Falls and the Perito Moreno Glacier." This statement is the first thing that repeats itself every time a stranger expresses his desire to know Argentina or tells us he's on the point of traveling to Argentina. South America. Then we recommend "Patagonian Lakes", as we travel through the minds of different regions of our country and list them. "We have all the climates, all the landscapes"We smile with pride.

If we add the geological formations, the lands where the dinosaurs lived, the richness of the flora and the birds, the historical and cultural heritage, the natural monuments and the endangered species, we begin to explain why the country presents itself to bet more and more about ecotourism, along with the growing interest of visitors to national parks.

Yes the Perito Moreno glacier – 250 km2 – is bigger than the city of Buenos Aires – 203 km2 –, and if the grandfather Alerce at the height of the obelisk of Porteño and the antiquity of the Greek ParthenonHow do we preserve them and make them known to the world? How are endangered species protected? How many national parks do we have? Which one was the first and the last? How much have protected areas grown and how do they work?

According to the National Parks Administration (NPA), "the fundamental mission of the National System of Protected Areas is to retain representative samples of Argentina's large environmental mosaic." 48 protected areas cover an area of ​​14,778,417 hectares.

Evolution of protected areas

Of this total of 48 protected areas, 46 areas are terrestrial, with 4,661,356 hectares and for the first time since 2018, there are 2 marine areas totaling 10,117,061 hectares.

Over the past decade, 15 protected areas have been protected, representing more than one million terrestrial hectares and more than 10 million marine areas.since in 2008, there were only 33 terrestrial protected areas with an area of ​​3,674,047 hectares. At the same time, in 1998 Argentina had 27 protected areas with an area of ​​3,217,469 hectares.

However, it should also be noted that, according to the latest official figures, only 172,639 hectares of forest were lost in 2017, and the vast majority of these losses occurred in the northern provinces, such as Chaco, Santiago del Estero and Formosa.

Back in the network of Argentine national parks, the 48 protected areas are composed of: 36 national parks (terrestrial or continental), 2 marine protected areas, 3 intergovernmental marine parks, 2 national reserves (Pizarro and El Nogalar de los Toldos), a nature reserve (Formosa), an educational nature reserve (Colonia Benítez), an integral nature reserve (San Antonio), a nature reserve (Isla de los Estados) and a natural monument (Laguna de los Pozuelos).

In addition, there are 4 species declared national natural monuments: southern right whale, huemul, taruca and yaguareté.

Dialogue and the search for consensus around the creation of the future Ansenuza National Park in Córdoba is progressing. Work is underway on the recently created Deer of the Swamps National Park to improve trails, infrastructure, operability and services.

More visitors

Over the last ten years, the number of visitors to national parks has increased by more than one million people. According to official figures, in 2008, there were 2,982,140 visitors and in 2018, 4,025,830. The increase was also sustained over the previous decade since in 1998 there were 1,192,863 visitors.

Again, the Iguazú National Park it turned out to be last year most visited with 1 520 743 visitors, receiving more than twice as many people as the second on the list, Glaciers with 687.190. The Top 5 is completed on Nahuel Huapi, with 430,000 visitors, Tierra del Fuego, with 355,000, and Lago Puelo, with 235,000.

The waterfalls were chosen as one of the 7 natural wonders of the world in 2011 and the Iguazú National Park was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. Near Puerto Iguazú, in the province of Misiones, it has 67 620 hectares belonging to the ecoregion. Paranaense forest.

With footbridges on the Superior, Lower and Garganta del Diablo (the 275 waterfalls of the highest waterfalls), ecological train, trails in the jungle, navigation on the Iguazú river, walks in the light of the full moon and the center of 39; interpretation, Iguazú is open every day of the year and costs 360 dollars for Argentine and 700 dollars for foreigners.

The million tourists

In August 2018, the park singled out Flavia Milis as "one million tourists of the season", traveling with her husband and 6-year-old daughter. "We had traveled alone in 2007 and had just experienced a drought: some jumps had very little water and the rubber ride was as far as possible," says Flavia. Clarin.

But the couple Benavídez, province of Buenos Aires, took revenge and He came back to see the waterfalls with a lot of water. As he recalls, "last year's trip was great.In fact, one of the gifts offered by the Cataratas was the opportunity to do a full moon tour". It was a spectacular experience. We were a little bit of our little girl and the little train in the middle of the jungle at night was a challenge, but she loved it. And walking on the catwalks was even more incredible"

"When we were in line to catch the train, they called us to tell us that they were going to surprise us. Also at that time, they were inaugurating the new electric locomotive and we did not know it. Finally, they let us through and we found the cameras, the officials and the local media, "laughs Flavia reliving the moment they had warned him that was the tourist 1 million of the season.

What foreigners choose

Of the 4,025,830 people who visited the country's protected areas in 2018, they were registered 1,194,651 foreigners (30%) and 2,831,179 Argentines (70%). But what is the favorite park of foreigners?

The Iguazú National Park (Misiones) was the one that received the highest number of visitors from other countries, with 567,420 foreigners (37%) and 953,323 Argentines (63%). However, Los Glaciares National Park (Santa Cruz) is the one with the highest percentage of foreigners: they visited him 378,946 foreigners (55%) against 308,244 Argentines (45%).

In dialogue with Clarin, the Secretary of Tourism of the Nation, Gustavo Santos, affirmed that "in 2018, there were nearly 7 million foreign tourists (6 941 828 to be precise) and, in the near future, the aim is to reach at least EUR 7,500,000 million. "

"In 10 years, when the world thinks of nature, it will think of Argentina. Today, it is very difficult to make a difference: each destination is in competition with the whole world. In this research, we can make a difference in that Argentina is the planet's natural reserve, "said Santos about the positioning of our destinations and the growth of the area of ​​protected areas, as well as connectivity and receptive Tourist Marketing.

The biggest

"The navigation between the Upsala Glaciers and Spegazzini was unforgettable, and we also loved trekking on the Perito Moreno, which was an incredible experience that I recommend to everyone," said Harrington, who traveled to El Calafate last year. wife Mary

Les and Mary live at Minnesota, United Statesand although they are used to seeing snow during the cold winters of the north, the experience of walking between ice needles, cracks and blue lagoons exceeded their expectations.

The Los Glaciares National Park not only the highest percentage of foreigners receives but is the largest of the national system of Argentine protected areas.

With 726,927 hectares, Is located southwest of the province of Santa Cruz and was created to preserve this area of ​​continental ice and glaciers, the forest of the southern Andes and Patagonia as well as samples of the Patagonian steppe.

In their slow movements, these giant frozen rivers constantly form capricious silhouettes that advance and retreat. The detachments of large blocks of ice are as impressive as the view of the great glacial mbades between mountains and forests.

The Perito Moreno Glacier is the most famous for the ease of access and the log of his break. The landscape is complemented by the presence of lagoons and rivers of meltwaters, lakes and towering hills such as Chaltén or Fitz Roy and the tower.

The smallest

In terms of size and world renown, at the antipodes of Los Glaciares, is the smallest protected area of ​​the Argentine system: the educational nature reserve of Colonia Benítez It is located southeast of the province of Chaco and has an area of ​​8 hectares., which covers a representative part of the Chaco Humo ecoregion.

In turn, the Los Arrayanes National Park is the smallest in this category. With 1,796 hectares, Includes the Quetrihué peninsula that flows into Lake Nahuel Huapi, in the south of the province of Neuquénand was part of Nahuel Huapi National Park since its inception. Although, for legal and technical reasons, it has been deemed appropriate to attribute it to the status of park, both jurisdictions include only one conservation and management unit.

The first park

Nahuel Huapi is considered the oldest national park because the donation of land by Francisco P. Moreno in 1903 It is considered the fundamental stage of the system in the country.

In these lands the southern national park was founded in 1922, which was the base of the national park created by Nahuel Huapi in 1934 next to the Iguazú National Park (and the National Parks Directorate).

The current National Parks Administration finds a first antecedent in the work developed in 1902 by Carlos Thays, who conducted a special study of the region of Iguazú Falls and designed a 25,000-hectare national park.

But it would be the expert Francisco Moreno, the visionary, who would concretize the new idea by attributing to the Nation three square leagues (about 7,500 hectares) of his property located near Lake Frias and Puerto Blest, at the same time. West of Lake Nahuel Huapi, with so that it "is dedicated as a natural public park", he wrote in the donation letter dated November 6, 1903.

This day is considered as the moment when the objective of the creation of a space of conservation on a certain territory of our country is specified. it is considered that the explicit will of Moreno represents the origin of the national parks.

In the following years, land and studies were added until April 8, 1922, the South National Park was created. In 1934 and under the impetus of Exequiel Bustillo, the Nahuel Huapi National Park (based on the Southern National Park) and the Iguazú were created.

In addition, the General Administration of National Parks and Tourism was created. It will be later (1958) replaced by the National Parks Directorate. Argentina has thus become the third country in America to create national parks, like the United States and Canada.

As president of the new corps, Bustillo developed a vast fundamental work over the next decade. Roads, roads, hostels, health centers and hotels, such as the iconic Llao Llao, have appeared on these national territories.

What is the last?

The last protected areas created are Yaganes Marine National Parks and Burwood II Bank. The two new reserves were created in December 2018 under the National System of Marine Protected Areas (SNAMP), established by Law No. 27 037, whose control authority is that of national parks.

The incorporation of these reserves contributes more than 100,000 km² to the marine protected area, which is a first step towards the protection of 10% of the Argentine maritime areas, as provided for in the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 adopted by the parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Located in remote locations, the National Parks Association states that these areas are not open to visitors like traditional parks. On the other hand, the parks of Atlantic Patagonia (Blue Route) can be visited.

In The currents, the Iberá National Park it is the last if we only consider land areas, with an area of ​​183,500 hectares belonging to the Esteros del Iberá ecoregion.

It is about one of the largest freshwater wetlands on the planet, and is home to a great diversity of wildlife, including fragile conservation species such as marsh deer, pampas deer, aguará guazú and more than 360 species of birds.

"I've always lived in a park"

Leonardo Juber is National Guard and Mayor of El Impenetrable National Park for three years, in El Chaco, where he works with 18 people who work as park wardens, brigadists, technicians and administrative staff.

Born in Colón, Entre Ríos, he graduated from the Training Center of the National Parks of Embalse de Río Tercero, Córdoba ten years ago. He worked in the Mburucuyá National Park (Corrientes) and in the Chaco National Park., before settling in The Impenetrable.

At 37, Leo has always lived in a park because his father was also a ranger. "I spent my childhood in El Palmar, Iguazú, Pre-Delta and Otamendi, in constant contact with nature. But since I was a kid, I loved him and I decided to study the same thing, "he says. Clarinand specifies that none of his three brothers (one man and two women) had this vocation. He agrees with his friends who are children to tidy up: "you like this way of life or you do not like it, there is no middle ground"

What does it grow in a park? He says that "although there is isolation, you are in contact with many people, such as those who work in the park, researchers or visitors." Of course, the times are very different from those of the city and At night, there are no human noises. But there are also situations of extreme silence: we always hear a bird or the wind"

The Impenetrable is "a new park", created in 2014 and has an area of ​​128,000 hectares in the Chaco Seco. For this reason, he lives in Miraflores, 60 km away, keeps in detachments or under tents, and often works with the neighboring community wichí. "We are working a lot in the field of hunting prevention, a World Bank-funded project aims to create sustainable development activities in the vicinity of the park, with the aim of having the surrounding territories generate their own. resources, such as crafts (eg, basketry), with palm leaves), goat farming, honey production and tourism activities, "he describes.

How is a day in the life of a ranger? Leo gets up early: "In summer, we work from 5 to 10 o'clock in the morning because of the intense heatAnd then we resume in the afternoon. The temperature reaches 48 degrees"

The park likes this because there are places with little traffic and we always discover new things. You are in good health in general, with a nice balance between the natural and the cultural.

The term impenetrable refers to the absence of water and the difficulty of penetration because the mountain "is entangled and everything has thorns".

We have the Bermejo River, which is very dynamic, and It's a very interesting place to see a big fauna: tapir, cougar, yacaré, anteater, peccary, tatú cart… it's a medium mountain – about 5 meters on average-, with palo santo, quebracho colorado, vinal and algarrobo.

There are also some copies of yarará, coral and bellbut according to Leonardo Juber, "it's the same as for cougars – those who are closer to dawn and dusk, recordings of attacks against people and people are very rare it's usually the animals that are scared by the presence of the man"

Whatever it is, advises that if someone meets a cougar, it is best to try to stay calm, make some noise and move your arms so that you believe that it is safe. he is bigger.

"What is my favorite animal? Yaguaret attracts me especially because he's powerful, strong, mysterious. Once, I saw him in the free state on Route 101, in Misiones. And among the animals of The Impenetrable, I really like the tatú cart because it seems prehistoricIt's like a giant armadillo. It's our Africa", resume.